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A package including a fitment for holding a liquid therein to dispense the liquid and the fitment itself. The fitment is a metering dispensing valve arranged to be secured to a flexible bag for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid therefrom. It includes a piercing member for pierc

A package including a fitment for holding a liquid therein to dispense the liquid and the fitment itself. The fitment is a metering dispensing valve arranged to be secured to a flexible bag for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid therefrom. It includes a piercing member for piercing through the bag to provide access to the interior of the bag and a compressible bulb having a reservoir in it. The dispensing valve also includes an inlet valve to the reservoir and an outlet valve from the reservoir. The bulb is arranged to be compressed and then released to enable a metered amount of the liquid to be drawn into a reservoir. The bulb can then be compressed again to dispense the metered amount of liquid from the reservoir through the outlet valve to the outlet.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A metering valve fitment for a package holding a liquid therein, said fitment being arranged for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid from the package, the package comprising a flexible bag having a wall and another fitment, the other fitment including a passageway extending di

1. A metering valve fitment for a package holding a liquid therein, said fitment being arranged for selectively dispensing a metered quantity of the liquid from the package, the package comprising a flexible bag having a wall and another fitment, the other fitment including a passageway extending directly to a portion of the wall of the bag, said metering valve fitment having a body, a fluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet check valve, a compressible bulb, a tubular piercing element and an outlet, said compressible bulb defining a collapsible reservoir into which a portion of the liquid from the package is transferred for dispensing, said fluid inlet check valve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from said tubular piercing element, said fluid outlet check valve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from said outlet, said tubular piercing element being arranged to be extended through the passageway in the other fitment and brought into direct engagement with the portion of the wall of the bag to directly pierce the wall of the bag, said bulb being arranged to be compressed and then released after the wall of the bag has been pierced, whereupon said fluid inlet check valve is automatically opened and said fluid outlet check valve is automatically closed and a metered amount of the liquid is drawn through said tubular piercing element and said opened fluid inlet check valve into said reservoir, said metering valve being further arranged so that when said bulb is compressed after the liquid is drawn into said reservoir said fluid outlet check valve is automatically opened to dispense a metered amount of the liquid through said outlet. 2. The metering valve fitment of claim 1 wherein the other fitment is secured to the wall of the bag and wherein said tubular piercing member comprises a bayonet including a locking member and is arranged to be releasably received in the passageway in the other fitment when said piercing member has pierced the wall of the bag, whereupon said locking member of said bayonet engages a portion of the other fitment to fixedly secure said fitment to the other fitment. 3. The metering valve fitment of claim 1 additionally comprises an inlet barrier and an outlet barrier, said inlet barrier being initially disposed over said inlet and said outlet barrier being initially disposed over said outlet, whereupon the interior of said metering valve fitment is initially sealed and isolated from the ambient atmosphere so that it can be exposed to ionizing radiation to render its internal surfaces sterile, whereupon said metering valve fitment is ready to be secured to the wall of said bag. 4. The metering valve fitment of claim 1 wherein said fluid inlet check valve comprises an umbrella valve element and an associated valve seat having at least one opening therein. 5. The metering valve fitment of claim 4 wherein said umbrella valve element is formed of an elastomeric material. 6. The metering valve fitment of claim 1 wherein said fluid outlet check valve comprises a dome valve element having at least one cut therein. 7. The metering valve fitment of claim 6 wherein said dome valve element is formed of an elastomeric material. 8. The metering valve fitment of claim 6 wherein said at least one cut comprises an X-cut. 9. The metering valve fitment of claim 4 wherein said fluid outlet check valve comprises a dome valve element having at least one cut therein. 10. A package for holding and selectively dispensing a metered quantity of a liquid therefrom, said package comprising a flexible bag and a metering valve fitment, said bag having a hollow interior in which the liquid is located, a wall and another fitment, said other fitment including a passageway extending directly to a portion of said wall of said bag, said metering valve fitment having a body, a fluid inlet check valve, a fluid outlet check valve, a compressible bulb, a tubular piercing element and an outlet, said compressible bulb defining a collapsible reservoir into which a portion of the liquid from said bag can transferred for dispensing, said fluid inlet check valve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from said tubular piercing element, said fluid outlet check valve being arranged to isolate said reservoir from said outlet, said tubular piercing element being arranged to be extended through said passageway in said other fitment and brought into direct engagement with a portion of said wall of said bag to directly pierce said wall of said bag, said bulb being arranged to be compressed and then released after said wall of said bag has been pierced, whereupon said fluid inlet check valve is automatically opened and said fluid outlet check valve is automatically closed and a metered amount of the liquid is drawn through said tubular piercing element and said opened fluid inlet check valve into said reservoir, said metering valve fitment being further arranged so that when said bulb is compressed after the liquid is drawn into said reservoir said fluid outlet check valve is automatically opened to dispense a metered amount of the liquid through said outlet. 11. The package of claim 10 wherein said other fitment is secured to said wall of said bag and wherein said tubular piercing member comprises a bayonet including a locking member and is arranged to be releasably received in said passageway in said other fitment when said piercing member has pierced the wall of said bag, whereupon said locking member of said bayonet engages a portion of said other fitment to fixedly secure said fitment to said other fitment. 12. The package of claim 10 additionally comprises an inlet barrier and an outlet barrier, said inlet barrier being initially disposed over said inlet and said outlet barrier being initially disposed over said outlet. 13. The package of claim 10 wherein said fluid inlet check valve comprises an umbrella valve element and an associated valve seat having at least one opening therein. 14. The package of claim 13 wherein said umbrella valve element is formed of an elastomeric material. 15. The package of claim 10 wherein said fluid outlet check valve comprises a dome valve element having at least one cut therein. 16. The package of claim 15 wherein said dome valve element is formed of an elastomeric material. 17. The package of claim 15 wherein said at least one cut comprises an X-cut. 18. The metering valve fitment of claim 13 wherein said fluid outlet check valve comprises a dome valve element having at least one cut therein.